This post shows you the best small living room ideas!
A small living room is all cute, but frankly, it’s rather difficult to fit everything in while keeping the place aesthetic.
I’ve always been the girl rotating from one small apartment to the next, and throughout the years, I’ve learned to master the subtle difference so my small living room looks more ‘cozy’ than ‘cramped.’
There are so many tricks and lessons that I want to share with you to make a huge impact without breaking the bank.
Without further ado, let’s dive into 31 brilliant apartment small living room ideas to try now!
The Best Small Apartment Living Room Ideas
1. Couch with Thin Legs for Compact Living Room
When picking out a statement furniture piece in a small space, you definitely don’t want something too chunky and robust.
Having a thin-legged sofa is perfect for a living room with limited space. (Check out my post here sharing all the best sofa designs for small living room.)
The cushioned sofa in royal blue complements the warm-toned coffee table.
The pairing won’t draw too much attention instantly but still conveys the sense of prominence elegantly.
The thin legs of the sofa elevate the visual interest upwards for a balanced weight distribution.
You can further jazz up the room with blooming flowers, fresh fruits, and wall art posters for the chic art deco ambiance.
2. Airy Small Living Room in White with Greenery
You will be surprised by the power of using white as the main player of the color palette in your tiny living room.
Besides the clean color schemes, leverage textiles of different kinds for an intricate outlook.
Mixing the sheer white curtain with greenery all the way is another great idea and a personal favorite for injecting vitality into a space.
Set up a small bamboo stool as an end table to hold magazines and potted plants.
The slim furniture takes up less room and helps open up the space.
3. Boho-Chic Corner In A Small Living Room Space
I love the art of layering to create a cohesive bohemian oasis in our limited space.
The mixtures of different textiles and patterns make this idea unique, adding in-depth dimensions and significantly higher visual interest.
Pick a bouquet of fresh wildflowers in a ceramic case when the season is right to add the final touch.
The blooming pick-me-up and the muted, vibrant color palette playout have their way to my heart.
4. Cozy Neutral Small Living Room Ideas With TV
You can never go wrong with a light-toned neutral living room.
Neutral tones like light beige, white, and cream can make a small space feel larger with the illusion of a bigger space.
The L-shaped beige sofa radiates sophisticated warmth, grounding the space with a sense of airiness.
The rattan basket and the white hydrangea add a splash of personality to an otherwise serene decor base.
5. Modern Minimalist Decor Ideas for A Small Apartment Living Room
I love a sleek minimalist decor inspiration for any tiny apartment living room out there.
The light grey sectional sofa is the ideal canvas to add colored pillows for a touch of personal flair.
Adding large-scale art to the wall as the focal point can make the space feel more open and airy.
Following the principle guidelines of minimal color schemes and clean lines will make the small space feel larger in person (even the floor-to-floor height will feel much higher).
6. Chic Workstation with Symmetric wall decor
Here’s a modern-age apartment girl struggle: the only option aside from having a desktop in your bedroom is the living room.
And to your surprise, it can host a perfectly compact repurposed workspace.
Dedicate one corner of your small living room to put in a vintage wooden desk to set the stylish tonality.
I’m a big fan of the symmetrical wall decor for the low-key stylish vibe.
Add a modern chair covered in faux fur throw to balance the style difference between the working and living areas.
7. Entry Table Placement Behind The Couch Ideas
In a small apartment, every inch of space counts.
Sneaking an entry table behind a couch is my favorite among all the space-saving solutions.
You can easily stack photo frames, greenery, and your favorite books together for a chic presentation.
This rustic sofa table behind couch also has a lower storage shelf to put away bigger objects.
8. Contemporary Compact Living Room with Open Shelving
I love the idea of optimizing vertical storage in a neutral living room.
After all, statement wall decor can be highly functional, too, combining both designer taste and high functionality.
The multi-layered open shelves are a great way to store your book collections and some other sentimental decor objects.
9. Multi-purposed Ottomans for Very Small Living Room Ideas
Furniture that serves more than one purpose is one of the IT trends nowadays, especially for smaller living rooms.
If your living space is quite compact, you should get rid of a conventional coffee table and get an ottoman instead.
A neutral ottoman is multifunctional and cozy-looking, it can also release more precious floor space.
10. Lush Small Living Room with Garden Balcony View
Lighting can make the biggest difference in a small living room.
Set your white sectional sofa next to the balcony entrance to maxmize the natural lighting.
Add potted plants and other kinds of greenery for a lush vitality injection.
11. Slim Coffee Table with Storage
Storage is of utmost value in a small living room space, and you can boost the storage functionality significantly without the chunky look.
If you want to get a coffee table, at least go for the design with a see-through surface and storage option.
This slim-looking gold-rimmed coffee table is the perfect example of a multipurpose space saver.
12. Big Area Rug for Small Living Room Designs
An aesthetic area rug can add character and warmth to a living space.
It makes your sitting area appear more put together and cohesive.
Remember to pick a rug that scales the room to be more open and defined, and go for a design that complements the rest of the space.
13. Coffee Corner
You don’t have to have a legit barista station to find yourself a dedicated space to enjoy coffee.
Set up a round side table next to your pantry wall for your espresso machine.
I’ll very much be looking forward to my everyday morning caffeine ritual.
14. Bohemian Style Small Living Room Design
This is an uncommon color coordination, but I like the pairing of natural wood with khaki corduroy.
Add a tad more eclectic characters with boho-inspired decor objects to maximize every inch of your apartment visually.
15. Bold Statement Sofa For Modern Small Living Room Ideas
As good as a neutral living room looks, I love adding a bold sofa as the statement piece.
The couch instantly becomes the centerpiece that grabs all attention.
You can decorate the sofa with neutral decorative pillows and wall art for a balanced tonality.
16. Small Living Room Ideas with Fireplace
Not every small apartment has a fireplace, but if yours does, dress it well to make the above mantel decor count!
Add a statement mirror as the centerpiece to open up the space subtly.
Create a visual balance using faux eucalyptus stems and decor pumpkins to complete the look further.
17. Reading Nook in a Compact Living Space
I love leveraging the living space for other activities, and reading is at the top of my list!
That’s why a cozy reading nook next to a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf appears to me so much!
Set up sheer white curtains to illuminate the room with beautiful natural lights and greenery.
18. Neutral Modern Living Room Ideas for Studio Apartment
Leverage your space in a tiny studio apartment to maximize every inch.
A neutral color palette is your best friend when decorating the limited space.
You can experiment with textiles and patterns to add a splash of personal flair.
19. Mirrors for Compact Living Room Ideas
Mirrors (and reflective surfaces in general) are the game-changing element that help create the illusion of a bigger space.
The faux window mirror wall behind the sofa is the perfect way to reflect and bounce light across the room.
I also cannot help but notice the stunning glass metal coffee table for a chic accessory.
20. Relaxed Living Room with Multiple Seating Options
Having multiple seating options in a small living room is something that I appreciate dearly.
Arrange the modern accent chair in light beige against the window to create the perfect reading oasis, it can also be used as extra seating occasionally when friends come over.
21. Slim Arched Lamp to Set the Tone
A brilliant way to add a defining personality to your neutral living space is through decor elements.
I’d recommend adding a skinny arched floor lamp that wouldn’t take much floor space but illuminate the entire room with its modern presence.
22. Coastal Living Room Retreat
I love switching to the coastal vibe in summer for the living room decorating ideas.
Set the luxurious royal blue velvet sofa as the focal point, and subtly tone it down by adding textured pillows in neutral shades.
The rattan circular coffee table adds a touch of organic elegance to the living retreat.
23. Modern Small Living Room with Pillows and Bean Bags
Bean bags are the perfect additions to have for a small living room.
They are multipurpose furniture that can be used as a coffee table plus some extra seating.
Decorate the sofa area with cute pillows and cozy blankets for the homely ambiance.
24. Lounging Area in the Corner
I love the luxury of having a comfortable lounging area in the living room.
Set up a hanging egg chair in the corner and comfy it up with plush throws and pillows.
The cute addition elevates the space instantly to be more cozy and inviting.
25. Layer Rugs for Dimensions
Sometimes I like the concept of layering to inject unique personalities.
And what better exudes personality the full force than patterned area rugs?
My secret trick is to find two rugs of different sizes, a rattan one that is bigger and a printed rug to layer. The dynamic duo will add depth and visual interest like no other.
26. Corner Space Floating Shelves
There are most likely to be a couple of awkward corners in a tiny living room, try to leverage the empty space by setting up floating shelves!
I love how these corner floating shelves can easily add functionality without taking up any valuable floor space.
27. Dining Table in Small Living Rooms
A small city apartment often needs clear lines to differentiate the dining area from the living room.
It’s important to find a space saving dining table that doubles as an entertainment station and also complements your home decor style.
Place the dining table diagonal to the sofa for an optimized visual balance that is nothing overpowering.
28. Smart and Subtle Wall Decor
Wall decoration is essential to accessorize a stylish small living room.
Of course, you can leverage the vertical space to boost functionality, such as installing a floor-to-ceiling shelf in an awkward corner.
I prioritize decor over practical additions.
Set up an open shelving to showcase your family portraits and art pieces.
Add a macrame wall hanger for a unique decor touch that is subtle yet polished.
29. Large Scale of Art
If you’re not a wall art gallery fan, try incorporating large-scale art in a small living room.
The visual contrast will effortlessly expand the space to make it more light and airy.
The scale of the wall decoration makes it an absolutely striking focal point of the room, but the muted light tones keep the art piece blend in without getting overwhelming.
30. Consistent Slim-Legged Furniture for Optical Illusions
The successful formula for a balanced small living room space is mostly skinny furniture.
I love that this idea incorporates potentially every piece with slim legs to elevate people’s focus upwards.
This trick is perfect for smaller living rooms to make the room appear more spacious.
31. Relaxation Zones in a Small Living Room
There’s some much-needed downtime in the living room happening, and it deserves a designated relaxation corner.
Chill in the comfortable armchair to unwind in the soft lighting and aromatic fragrance.
This post showed you the best design small living room ideas!
